Breast supporter



C. R. LEMONS BREAST SUPPORTER Filed Dec.

July 22, 1958 CARL R. LEMONS,

INVENTOR 1 T TORNE x United States Patent 0.

BREAST SUPPORTER Carl R. Lemons, Reseda, Calif. Application December 19, 1955, Serial No. 553,844

1 Claim. or. 128477) This invention relates to a breast-supporting device to be used with womens apparel and is directed particularly to such a device for improving the configuration of the breasts.

The invention not only lifts the breasts but also increases the fullness and outward bulge of the breast by impingement from below to displace the breasts upward and forward. In addition, the upward impingement on each breast is in a direction inclined laterally towards the other breast thereby to cause appreciable displacement of the two breasts towards each other for desirable accentuation of the cleft or cleavage between the breasts.

One important feature of the invention is the employment of two exceedingly soft spongy bodies of foam rubher or the like to accomplish the desired breast displacement without discomfort to the wearer. Another feature is the use of an elongated resilient support means of generally U-shaped configuration interconnecting the two breasts to provide the desired components of force for displacing the two breasts towards each other.

The preferred practice of the invention advantageously employs a spring wire as the resilient support means with the ends of the wire coiled and imbedded in the two foam rubber bodies for internal reinforcement thereof. The interconnecting portion of the wire is also covered with foam rubber so that all surfaces of the device are exceedingly soft yielding surfaces. 1

These and other features and advantages of the invention may be understood from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, which is to be regarded as merely illustrative:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the presently preferred embodiment of the invention in its effective position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing how the device in its effective position may be concealed by a brassiere;

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation showing how each of the two sponge rubber bodies is positioned to cause overhang of the corresponding breast;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the invention in its effective position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the wire member that is incorporated in the construction of the device; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing how the device may be combined with a brassiere.

The presently preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing includes two bodies 10 made of foam rubber, preferably rubber latex, the two bodies being molded to form a surface film of latex. Such a construction causes each of the two bodies 10 to have a close resemblance in physical properties to the soft flesh of the wearer. Preferably, each of the two bodies 10 is of the configuration of a flattened spheroid, such a body having a circular profile when viewed at one angle as Patented July 22, 1958 "ice shown at the right in Figure 5 and an oval profile when viewed from another angle as shown at the left in Figure 5.

The two bodies 10 are interconnected by an elongated resilient support means which may comprise a spring wire member that is generally designated by numeral 12 and is best shown in Figure 6. The wire member 12 is of generally U-shaped configuration and the two ends of the wire member are suitably bent for imbedding in the two bodies 10. Thus as shown in Figure 5, the two ends of the wire member 12 may be formed into helical coils 14. These helical coils not only serve to anchor the two bodies 10 to the wire member 12 but also serve as internal reinforcement for the two bodies.

Preferably, the central region of the wire member 12 is bent to form a central upward offset 15 flanked by two downward offsets 16. In the present practice of the invention, this central portion of the wire member 15 that interconnects the two bodies 10 has a covering or tubular encasement 18 of relatively soft material which, in this instance, is the same foam rubber material as used for the two bodies 10.

As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, when this embodiment of the invention is in its effective position, the two bodies 15 impinge against and depress the breasts of the wearer from below and thus lifts or displaces the breasts upward. It is also to be noted that the two bodies 10 are so positioned relative to the two breasts of the wearer that the upward support force against each breast is inclined towards the other breast as indicated by the two arrows 20 in Figure 4. In this regard it is to be noted that the bodies 10 are in inclined positions and that the U-shaped wire member 15 is stressed in flexure by the breasts. By virtue of these inwardly inclined components of force, the invention desirably accentuates both the curvature and the depth of the cleft or cleavage between the two breasts. It is to be further noted that the two bodies 10 are held inwardly towards the wearer to cause the breasts to overhang the two bodies 10 as shown in Figure 3.

The advantages of the invention will be further appreciated by considering how it meets certain problems. One problem is the problem of concealment of the device when used with low necked garments and bathing suits, especially bathing suits having separate brassiere members. This problem of concealment is met, in part, by positioning the bodies 10 under the breasts so that the bodies are concealed by the upper portions of the breasts. Concealment is further accomplished by positioning the bodies 10 in such manner as to cause the breasts to overhang the bodies. Finally concealment is accomplished by the configuration of the interconnecting portion of the wire member 12, this configuration being such that it may be completely concealed by the middle web or interconnecting strap 22 of a brassiere 24 (Figure 2).

A second problem met by the invention is to hold the bodies 10 in position inward towards the wearer in impingement against the underside of the breast as shown in Figure 3. In this regard a feature of the invention is the manner in which the three offsets 15 and 16 of the wire member 12 cooperate with the central band portion 22 of a brassiere. Since the impingement of the breasts on the two bodies 10 tend to move the bodies forward, the device as a Whole tends to rock forward and fulcrum on the two downwardly directed offsets 16. This rocking movement, of course, tends to cause the central offset 15 to rock forward in the manner of a short lever arm. The normal tension of the overlying central brassiere strap 22 creates sufficient inward pressure against the three offsets and especially the central offset 15 to counteract the tendency of the device to rotate forward 3 and thus hold the two bodies in the desired inward positions.

A third problem met by the invention is to hold the two bodies 10 up in their desired positions in opposition to the "downward thrust of the weight of the breasts of the wearer. The device -is held against downward displacement, in part, by virtue of the fact that the two bodies 10 in effect grip the pair of breasts from opposite sides in a resilient manner. Thus the engagement of the two bodies 10 with the two breasts from opposite sides is in itself afactor that tends to hold the device against downward displacement. A second factor contributing to "the 'support'of the device is the high co-efficient of friction of the sponge rubber with respect to the flesh of the wearer. Extensive areas of thetwo bodies 10 are in light pressure engagement with corresponding areas of the flesh of the wearer and, moreover, a substantial ad ditional area of such frictional contact is provided by the tubular encasement 18 of the central portion of the wire member 15. A feature of the invention in this regard is that the tendency of the device to fulcrum outward against the resistance of the tensioned brassiere band furthercontributes to resisting downward displacement of the device, this tendency increasing the pressure of the fulcrumed portion '16 against the body of the wearer and increasing the outward pressure of the central offset against the fabric of the brassiere band.

One advantage of the invention is that it'may be sold in the simple form shown in Figure 5 and may thus be used with a number of difierent garments including different brassieres and difierent bathing suits. In one practice of the invention, however, the device is incorporated into the construction of a brassiere in the manner indicated by Figure 7. Figure 7 shows how the device may be positioned inside a brassiere and permanently attached tothe central strap portionof the brassiere as indicated at 26.

My description in specific detail of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention will suggest various changes, substitutions and other departures from my disclosure that properly lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A bust supporter comprising: a pair of bodies, each formed of a soft, self-sustaining resilient material; and an elongate U-shaped resilient wire element, the legs of said elements being turned upwardly with each of the ends thereof embedded, respectively, in one of said bodies; the ends of said elements being curved for anchorage of the two bodies to the element end for internal reinforcement of said bodies, the bight section of said U-shaped wire element having an upward offset to extend between the two breasts of the wearer at the lower side of said breasts, said wire element being so dimensioned as to hold said bodies in compressive engagement with the lateral and under-surface of the breasts, said bodies applying to said breasts upwardly and inward .directed forces thereby to displace the two breasts upwardly and towards each other to increase the upward bulge of the two breasts and to narrow and accentuate the cleavage between the two breasts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,468,106 Polk Apr. 26, 1949 2,511,641 Kuhn June 13, 1950 2,563,241 Herbener Aug. 7, 1951 2,664,571 Kempel Jan. 5, 1954 2,731,640 Garson Jan. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,086,195 France Aug. 4, 1954 1,092,914 France Nov. 10, 1954 

